Current-motor.



PATENTED JUNE 7, 1904.

0. 0. BURCHIM. CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

PATENTED JUNE 7,1904,

0. o. BURGHIM.

CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 5, 1903.

H0 MODEL.

Zda zeaded moruuma. wmmamu, u. c.

UNITED STATES Patented June 7, 1904.

CHARLES O. BURCHIM, OF SIOUX CITY, IOIVA.

'CURRENT-MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,134, dated June '7, 1904.

Application filed EI0vember 5, 1903. Serial No. 179,954. (No model.)

To all whom it may, concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES O. BURCHIM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sioux City, in the county of VVoodbury and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Current-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in currcntmotors; and the object of the invention is to construct a motor of this character in such a manner as to concentrate the power upon a drive-shaft without irregularity or variation, and to further obtain additional power by suitable means cooperating with the motor-wheels.

A further object of the invention is to construct a current-motor which shall be simple in its construction, strong, durable, efficient in its use, and comparatively inexpensive to set up.

I/Vith the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the motor. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation. Fig. 3 is an end elevation; Fig. 4L,'a section on the line 1 4 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5 issa front elevation of one of the motor-wheels, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the drive-buckets. Fig, 7 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of currentmotor broken away at each end.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, 1 2 denote a pair offloating and supporting'hollow structures, preferably in the form of flat-boats decked over, and which are air'and water tight. Each of the structures 1 2 is provided with a normally closed inlet-valve mechanism 3 to permit of supplying of air or water to the hollow structures when it is necessary to raise and lower them.

The hollow structures 1 2,when in their supporting positions for the remainder of the parts which go to make up the current-motor, are adapted to be arranged a suitable distance apart and retained in such position by any suitable means, and between the hollow structures 1 2 the front and rear motor-wheels are arranged. The front motor-wheel consists of a plurality of radially-extending blades L, which are suitably secured to the shaft 5. Each of the blades is recessed in its outer end, as at 6. The shaft 5 of the front motor-wheel is supported in any suitable bearings 7, mounted upon the hollow structures 1 2. The rear motor-wheel consists of a plurality of radially-extending blades 8, suitably secured to the shaft 9. Each of the blades 6 is recessed in its outer end, as at 10. The shaft 9 is of greater length than the shaft 5 and carries a pair of fly-wheels 11, operating in suitable depressions 12, formed in the hollow structures 1 2. The shaft 9 is journaled in bearings 13, secured to the hollow structures 1 2, and is adapted to be connected by gearing or belt and pulley to a pump, electrical generator, or other device for operating it. The pump, generator, or other device is preferably mounted upon one or both of the hollow structures 1 2. If desirable, the operative connection may extend to other support upon which the pump, generator, or other machine is mounted.

Mounted upon each of the hollow structures 1 2 is a standard 14, carrying a bearing 15 for the shaft 16, which carries two pairs of sprocket wheels 17 18. wheels 17 are of greater diameter than the sprocket-wheels 18. The shaft 16 also carries on one end a pulley-Wheel 19, the function of which will be hereinafter referred to.

The sprocket- 5 The reference character 20 denotes a pair 9 of sprocket-chains, and the reference characmotion will be imparted to the shaft 16 by the traveling of the sprocket chains over the sprocket-wheels, and consequently the pulley 19 will be rotated.

Connected by means of the lugs 22 to the chains 20 are the drive-buckets 23. These buckets are also connected to the chains 21 by means of thelugs 24:. Each of the buckets 23 consists of'bottom and a pair of end walls 25, 26, and 27, respectively. The buckets 23 are disposed throughout the chains 20 21 suitable distances apart. The connection between the lugs 22 and 2a and the chains 20 and 21 is a loose connection, so that no interruption will be had to the traveling of the chains over the motorhvheels to be hereinafter referred to. The lug 24 serves to steady and prevent the swinging out of the buckets when traveling around the motor-wheels.

The chains 20 21 and buckets 23 are adapted to travel over the front and rear motor- Wheels and when traveling over the said wheels move in the recesses 610 in the outer ends of the blades 1 8. The depth of the recesses 6 10 is such that the sprocket-chains 21 will engage the bottom wall of the recesses and the sprocket-chains 20 will be flush with the outer edge of the blades, or, in other words, the depth of the recesses 6 10 is substantially equal to that of the buckets 28.

Arranged between the hollow structures 1 2 at the front of the forward motor-wheel is a vertically-adjustable gate operating between the guides 29 and provided with a rack 30, which is engaged by the pinion 31, mounted upon the shaft 32, supported in the bearings 33 and operatively connected, as at 34, with a governing device 35, the latter being mount ed upon the hollow structure 2 and operatively connected through the medium of the belt 36 to the pulley 19. The governing device 35 is of the type so that it not only can be operated through the medium of the opera tive connection 36, but can also be operated manually, owing to the manual operative means 37. When the shaft 16 is operated, motion will be imparted to the governing device, which in turn will govern the raising and lowering of the gate 28, so that the feed of water to the forward motor-wheel can be increased or diminished.

It will be evident that the chains act as a belt to connect the energy or force of the two wheels together and that the buckets add additional force to the wheels.

The motor is adapted to be set in a current of water, so that the water will contact with the forward wheel, move the same, imparting movement to the chains and buckets, and on the rotation of the front motor-wheel motion will also be imparted to the rear motor-wheel, and that as the buckets-leave the forward motor-wheel the current will impact against the buckets, consequently carrying the buckets therewith, and which operation materially adds force to the wheels. The generation of motive power will also be assisted, owing to the impacting of the current with the rear motor-wheel, consequently rotating that also. Therefore three means of generating motive power are set up, which are, the forward motor-wheel, the drive-buckets, and the rear motor-wheel. When the parts are operated in the manner as set forth, motion will be imparted to the shaft 9, which being operatively connected with an electrical generator, pump, or other device it or they will be operated. hen the parts are in operation in the manner as set forth, motion will also be imparted to the shaft 16, thereby operating the governing device and regulating the feed of the water through the vertical movement of the gate 28.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings is shown a modified form of construction and in which the sprocket-wheels are dispensed with and a motor-wheel 30 is substituted therefor. motor-wheel 30 is of the same construction as the motor-wheels hereinbefore described, and the shaft which supports the wheel 30 can project the necessary distance, so it can be connected with the governing device. Otherwise than that as stated in the modified constructionthat is, the employment of a motor-wheel instead of the sprocket-wheels and their supports 'the modified construction is the same as that heretofore referred to.

It is thought that the many advantages of my improved current-motor can be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and it will furthermore be evident that changes, variations, and modifications can be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and I therefore do not wish to restrict myself to the details of construction hereinbefore described and set forth in the annexed drawings, but reserve the right to make such changes, variations, and modifications as come properly Within the scope of the protection prayed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a current-motor, a pair of motorwheels comprising a plurality of recessed blades, a supporting means for each of said wheels, sprocket-chains traveling over and in the recesses of the blades of the motor-wheels, and buckets connected to said chains and traveling therewith and over and in the recesses of the blades.

2. A current-motor comprising a pair of hollow supporting structures, a pair of motorwheels arranged between said structures and comprising a plurality of recessed blades, a

shaft for each of said Wheels, means secured to the structures for supporting the motorwheels, chains traveling over and in the recesses of the blades, and drive-buckets con- The nected to said chains and traveling therewith and over and in the recesses of the blades.

3. A current-motor comprising a pair of hollow supporting structures, a pair of motorwheels arranged between said structures and comprising a plurality of recessed blades, a shaft for each of said wheels, means secured to the structures for supporting the motorwheels, chains traveling over and in the recesses of the blades, drive-buckets connected to said chains and traveling therewith and over and in the recesses of the blades, and

means connected to the supporting structures and adapted to permit of the supply of water or air to said structures for lowering or raising them.

4. A current-motor comprising apair of air and water tight hollow supporting structures, means connected therewith and adapted to permit of the supply of water or air to said structures for lowering or raisingthem, a pair of motor-wheels comprising a plurality of recessed blades, said wheels arranged between said structures, a shaft for each of said wheels, means secured tothe structures for supporting the shafts, a pair of fiy-wheels carried by one of said shafts, sprocket-chains traveling over and in the recesses of the blades of the motor-wheels, drive-buckets connected to said chains and traveling therewith and over and in the recesses of the blades, two pairs of sprocket-wheels operated by and supporting said chains, a shaft for the sprocket-wheels, a gate for regulating the feed of Water to one of said wheels, a governing means for the gate, and an operative connection between said sprocket-wheel shaft and said governing device.

5. In a current-motor, a pair of motorwheels provided with recessed blades, a pair of sprocket-chains traveling over said wheels near the bottom of said recesses, drive-buckets connected to said chains traveling therewith and over said wheels and in the recesses of the wheels, a pair of sprocket-chains connected to the outer portion of said buckets, a shaft connected to each of said wheels and operated thereby, and means for supporting said shafts.

6. A current-motor comprising a pair of supporting structures, a pair of standards mounted thereon, a shaft carried by said standards, two pairs of sprocket-wheels carried by said shaft, one pair of said sprocket-wheels being of greater diameter than the other pair, a motor-wheel arranged between said structures near the forward end thereof, a motorwheel arranged between said structures near the rear end thereof, each of said motorwheels consisting of radially-extending blades having recesses in their outer ends, two pairs of sprocket-chains supported by said sprocketwheels and arranged in different planes, said chains traveling over said sprocket-wheels, operating said wheels and further traveling over said motor-wheels in the recesses thereof, buckets suitably connected to said chains throughout their length, said buckets traveling with said chains and over the said motorwheels and in the recesses thereof, a gate for regulating the feed of water, said gate arranged between said structures at the forward portion thereof, said gate being vertically movable, and 'a governing device for suitably operating said gate to regulate the feed of water, said governing device operatively connected with said sprocket-wheel shaft.

7. A current-motor comprising a pair of motor-wheels provided with peripheral recesses, two pairs of chains for operatively connecting said wheels together, said chains operating in said recesses, buckets suitably connected to the chains and traveling therewith and through the recesses of the motor-wheels, a shaft for each of the said motor-wheels, and a pair of floating hollow structures adapted to support said shaft.

8. A current-motor comprising a pair of motor-wheels provided with peripheral recesses, two pairs of chains for operatively connecting the said wheels together, said chains operating in said recesses, buckets suitably connected to the chains and traveling therewith and through the recesses of the motorwheels, a shaft for each ofthe said motorwheels, a pair of air and water tight hollow structures for supporting said shafts and between which said motor-wheels are arranged, and a normally closed inlet-valve mechanism adapted when open to permitof the supply of air or water to the said structures so that they can be raised and lowered.

9. A current-motor comprising a pair of motor-wheels provided with peripheral recesses, two pairs of chains for operatively connecting the said wheels together, said chains operating in said recesses, buckets suitably connected to the chains and traveling therewith and through the recesses of the motorwheels, a shaft for each of the said motorwheels, a pair of air and water tight hollow structures for supporting said shafts and between which said motor-wheels are arranged, a normally closed inletvalve mechanism adapted when open to permit of the supply of air or water to the said structure so that they can be raised and lowered, a gate arranged between the said structures, a governing device carried by one of the said structures and connected with said gate for suitably operating it, and means for operating the governor.

10. A current-motor comprising a pair of supporting structures suitably separated from one another, a pair of motor-wheels arranged between said structures, a shaft for supporting one of the said wheels, a drive-shaft for supporting the other of said wheels, bearings carried by the structures for the said shaft, fly-wheels carried by the drive-shaft, chains for operatively connecting the said motorwheels together, means for supporting the said chains carried by the said structures, said supporting means adapted to be operated by said chains, buckets suitably connected to the chains and traveling therewith, a gate arranged between said structures for regulating the feed of water to one of said wheels, a governing device for said gate, and an operative connection between the governing device and the supporting means for the chains.

11. A current-motor comprising a pair of floating air and water tight hollow structures, means carried by the structures and when operated adapted to permit of the supply of water or air thereto for raising and lowering said structures, a pair of motor-wheels arranged between said structures, a shaft for supporting one of the said wheels, a driveshaft for supporting the other of said wheels, bearings carried by the structures for the said shaft, fly-wheels carried by the driveshaft, chains for operatively connecting the said motor-wheels together, means for supporting the said chains carried by the said structures, said supporting means adapted to be operated by said chains, buckets suitably connected to the chains and traveling therewith, a gate arranged between said structures for regulating the feed of Water to one of said wheels, a governing device for said gate, and an operative connection between the governing device and the supporting means for the chains.

12. In a current-motor, a pair of motorwheels having recesses in their periphery, supporting means for said wheels, two pairs of sprocket-chains for operatively connecting said wheels together, said chains traveling through said recesses, one pair of said chains arranged in a different plane than the other pair of said chains, and buckets connected to each pair of chains throughout the length thereof.

In testimony whereof have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES O. BURCHIM.

WVitnesscs:

FRANK E. SCOTT, F. 1. HALL. 

